Union Front: Local Union Communicators Keep Us Informed

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LUCA Conference Set for October

Tanya Love

Many UAW members look to their local to stay informed about union issues. That means locals need the skills to share information members want about union issues, contracts, committees and elections, particularly as we head into a busy election year in 2018 with congressional control at stake. The best way to improve union website, social media, writing, photography and video skills, or learn those skills for the first time, is to attend the UAW-LUCA (Local Union Communication Association) Conference at Black Lake, Oct. 29 through Nov. 3.

LUCA members who attend the conference at Black Lake learn many skills that help them communicate their local’s messages to their members.

“We need to make sure every local has the tools they need to share information,” said UAW President Dennis Williams. “Much is at stake with our locals from contract negotiations at local facilities to national elections in 2018. The LUCA conference is the place to learn the latest communication methods, from websites to video to Twitter and Facebook, and newsletter production like effective writing,” said Williams.

John Davis of Region 8’s Local 2195 is the UAW-LUCA Advisory Council Chair, veteran LUCA member and digital photography instructor. “There’s no substitute for learning in person with other members. Locals that haven’t been to LUCA in a while can pick up state-of-the-art communication skills and polish existing ones,”said Davis.

It’s also a great way for locals to start a website or social media page. If your local doesn’t have one, attending the conference is a great way to learn how.

Local 276 Second Vice President Tanya Love was a new local newsletter editor at last year’s conference, ready to edit a publication for 4,200 workers at the General Motors Assembly Plant in Arlington, Texas. She was amazed at how much the feature writing class improved her writing. “I took that information to my local and applied what they taught me,” said Love. Her work is now published by Region 5 and her local.